College Essay Workshop for Seniors

Just a quick reminder, Thursday, May 2nd, is the final day to register for the English department's college essay summer sessions.  Please re-read the information from Mr. Bishop and Ms. Ellam, which was sent out to families on March 11, 2019:

Dear Parents & Guardians:

You are receiving this letter because you have a student who is completing his or her junior year at Hopkinton High School. As you know, in the next several months, your son or daughter may need to write a college essay. We would like to help your child accomplish that task during the summer months.

Essentially, we will spend part of the time teaching writing strategies, and part of the time teaching the students to use a process called descriptive feedback. This process will allow students to look closely at their own and others’ writing using a method that suspends judgment per se, but invites participants to first offer general impressions of a piece of writing and then offer several rounds of focused, increasingly analytic descriptions.  

Students should leave the workshop with two positive outcomes: the first will be a completed college essay, and the second will be an increased writing repertoire, including strategies for reviewing their own work. As for the instructors, we are excited to witness the ways in which students compose a piece and return recursively to their work.

If you are interested in having your student participate in this program, please have your child register in the school counseling office by Thursday, May 2.  Forms will be available in English classrooms, and a fee of $75.00 must be paid at registration as well as an indication of which session you’d like to attend.  Checks can be made out to Hopkinton Student Activities. If you have any questions, please contact our English Department Subject Matter Leader, Sarah Ellam, by email or phone at Hopkinton High School at sellam@hopkinton.k12.ma.us or (508) 497-9820.  Students must be available to attend all sessions in the week.  For a session to run, we will need fifteen students to register.    

Session I – June 24 - 28                      (10:00 – 11:30)

Session II – June 24 - 28                     (12:00 – 1:30)

Session III – June 24 - 28                    (2:00 – 3:30)

Session IV – July 29 - August 2           (1:00 – 2:30)

Please don't hesitate to reach out to Ms. Ellam or your child's school counselor if you have more questions.  This opportunity is certainly well worth it, especially for its affordability, so please capitalize upon it while you still have time!

Upcoming Mini-Fairs at HHS

In the spring, the counseling department offers two college mini-fairs to sophomores and juniors, and it is important for students to capitalize on this opportunity.  To give students and parents a heads-up, the first date occurs this week on Thursday, April 11th, and the second will be on Thursday, May 2nd; both fairs commence at 8:30 and conclude at 9:10.  I encourage all 10th- and 11th-grade students to check out the list for each date (click the hyperlink on each date) and prioritize the colleges/universities in which they are interested.  If you've viewed the list and have no idea where you should start, shoot a quick email to your counselor and s/he can give you several options.  

Additionally, smart students seize the opportunity to learn about new schools, as they realize that one of these hidden gems might be the perfect fit.  The college reps will be thrilled to tell you about their school, and it is their job to guide the conversation and ask open-ended questions, so even most apprehensive student shouldn't hesitate to reach out and say hello.  Try this list of college questions to get started.  Remember, speaking to a college's representative is not only a way to gather information and insight, but it's also a way to show you're interested in that particular school.  Your explicit demonstrated interest is a factor in some admissions decisions, so it is always important to put yourself out there to make contact.  Remember, it’s better to have high-quality, meaningful interactions with a few schools rather than basic, cursory visits with lots of schools.

On a final note, consider how you are dressed on those particular days.  You don’t need to rent a tux, but you don’t want to look like you just rolled out of bed in your pajamas. College reps will remember students who seem to be well put-together, and who demonstrate a serious interest in their schools. Show them you’re interested in smiling, making eye contact, and being polite.  Many of the HHS counselors have heard positive feedback from visiting colleges reps, saying that the Hiller students are consistently engaged, savvy, and respectful, so we are confident that you will demonstrate the same classy attitude that has become associated with our school.  And, above all else, have fun and enjoy!